Lilly was just a baby when she is removed from her mother’s den with her brothers and sisters. She is a werewolf who is trained by the Church to kill and scare the pagans into becoming Christians. As she ages, she battles with the two sides of her character, the wolf and the girl.

Uldolf’s village was attacked by the Church when he was a young boy. Many of his memories of the attack have been blocked out. His family was killed, and he was taken in by his uncle and aunt. He lost an arm in the attack, but he does not remember how until he meets a young woman who holds the key to his memories.

A monk with the Teutonic Order found a den of young werewolves. He decided these creatures would be best put to use for the Church. Bringing the pagans away from the gods of old was the mission. Lilly’s brothers and sisters have died, leaving her behind to bear the burden placed on her by the Church. An intelligent young woman, she plans her escape and runs to the one place she remembers from her childhood, a pool where she played with a young boy named Uldolf. Uldolf finds her and takes her to his aunt to help with Lilly’s wounds. His family takes her in and cares for Lilly, but there is a price to be paid.

This has got to be one of the best werewolf novels I have read. Lilly is not portrayed as a sex object. She is shown as a young woman at odds with the things she has been asked to perform. I love the way the author uses the Church and their beliefs to bring spiritual questions to the surface. Uldolf is such a strong hero in this tale. He is not afraid to follow what his heart tells him even when his suspicions about Lilly prove to be true. His love still leads him back to Lilly. S.A Swann has written a story of love and passion. I recommend this book highly.